Wales Elementary, Wales WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Wales Elementary

Wales Elementary is a traditional public school serving preschool through fifth grade within the Kettle Moraine School District in Waukesha County. It operates as a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving those grades, and the student body is overwhelmingly white, with a small Hispanic population and very small numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is low, consistent with the affluent character of the community it serves.

The school sits in the small village of Wales, a residential community originally settled by Welsh immigrants in the 1840s. The village retains its Welsh heritage and has a modest historic downtown centered on Main Street. The surrounding built environment is low-density suburban and rural, with state trails passing through the area for recreation. Median household income and homeownership rates in Wales are high, and the village has experienced slow, steady growth. The average commute time indicates most residents drive to work, likely to larger employment centers in Waukesha County or Milwaukee. This is a commuter-suburban setting where the school serves as a local anchor.

Academically, Wales Elementary posts strong results. The neighbor comparison, which positions this school relative to districts in Waukesha County, shows overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades above the midpoint of that set. State testing data from the Forward exam for grades three through five reinforces that picture. In mathematics, proficiency is solid across all tested grades, with notably high results in grade five. In English language arts, grade three proficiency is substantial, and grades four and five reach even higher levels. Science and social studies are assessed in grade four only, and both subjects show strong proficiency, with social studies especially high. Participation in testing was full, so the results reflect nearly every student in those grades. Because Wales Elementary serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and state data on chronic absenteeism was not available for this school. A parent may wish to ask the school directly about attendance patterns.

The district context matters for understanding the school’s environment. Kettle Moraine School District recently passed a facilities bond and a recurring revenue limit override, both approved by voters with substantial support. The bond funds capital maintenance projects such as roofing, windows, safety improvements, and HVAC upgrades across district buildings, which directly affect school conditions. The recurring override provides additional annual operating revenue, replacing a previous time-limited referendum that had expired. These votes signal ongoing community investment. At the same time, the district closed Cushing Elementary School at the end of the 2023-24 school year due to declining enrollment and cost pressures, consolidating those students into other elementary schools. That closure points to broader demographic shifts in the district, though Wales Elementary itself appears stable in enrollment and community support.

For a family considering this school, the picture is straightforward. Wales Elementary offers a strong academic foundation in a well-resourced, low-poverty setting. The neighborhood is quiet and affluent, and the school is part of a district that has demonstrated willingness to fund facilities and programming. The student body is not racially or economically diverse, which is a characteristic of the community rather than a programmatic choice. Families who value high test scores, a small-town feel, and a traditional elementary experience will find that here. Those seeking more socioeconomic or racial diversity, or a wider range of specialized elementary programs, may want to explore further. The district does offer charter options at the upper grade levels, but Wales Elementary itself follows a regular public school model.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 377%

School 77% · District 66% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 72% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 585%

School 85% · District 74% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 366%

School 66% · District 64% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 485%

School 85% · District 74% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 75% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 74% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 490%

School 90% · District 81% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

This schoolKettle Moraine School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income71%21 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income75%Higher-income86%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income55%Higher-income87%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income86%36 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income63%Higher-income75%13 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income64%Higher-income89%26 pp gap